Arete Wealth Advisors LLC Sells 440 Shares of Vulcan Materials (NYSE:VMC)

Arete Wealth Advisors LLC reduced its holdings in shares of Vulcan Materials (NYSE:VMC) by 20.4% in the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 1,715 shares of the construction company’s stock after selling 440 shares during the quarter. Arete Wealth Advisors LLC’s holdings in Vulcan Materials were worth $442,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other large investors have also bought and sold shares of VMC. Geneos Wealth Management Inc. lifted its holdings in shares of Vulcan Materials by 16.5% in the fourth quarter. Geneos Wealth Management Inc. now owns 254 shares of the construction company’s stock worth $65,000 after acquiring an additional 36 shares during the last quarter. Howard Capital Management Inc. boosted its holdings in shares of Vulcan Materials by 5.2% during the 4th quarter. Howard Capital Management Inc. now owns 906 shares of the construction company’s stock valued at $233,000 after acquiring an additional 45 shares in the last quarter. Washington Trust Advisors Inc. grew its position in Vulcan Materials by 30.0% during the 4th quarter. Washington Trust Advisors Inc. now owns 208 shares of the construction company’s stock worth $54,000 after acquiring an additional 48 shares during the last quarter. Sound View Wealth Advisors Group LLC increased its holdings in Vulcan Materials by 4.3% in the 4th quarter. Sound View Wealth Advisors Group LLC now owns 1,169 shares of the construction company’s stock worth $301,000 after purchasing an additional 48 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Wellington Management Group LLP raised its position in Vulcan Materials by 5.6% in the fourth quarter. Wellington Management Group LLP now owns 969 shares of the construction company’s stock valued at $249,000 after purchasing an additional 51 shares during the last quarter. 90.39% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several research firms have recently issued reports on VMC. Raymond James lowered their price objective on Vulcan Materials from $298.00 to $295.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a research note on Thursday, January 16th. Seaport Res Ptn upgraded shares of Vulcan Materials to a “strong-buy” rating in a research report on Friday, March 21st. Loop Capital cut their price target on shares of Vulcan Materials from $325.00 to $320.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a report on Tuesday, April 1st. Citigroup reissued a “buy” rating on shares of Vulcan Materials in a research note on Monday, March 24th. Finally, Morgan Stanley lifted their target price on Vulcan Materials from $295.00 to $300.00 and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a report on Monday, February 24th. Three analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, ten have issued a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $305.58.

Vulcan Materials Stock Down 2.6 %

Shares of Vulcan Materials stock opened at $230.98 on Friday. The firm has a market cap of $30.55 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 33.72, a PEG ratio of 2.03 and a beta of 0.80. The stock’s 50-day moving average is $250.05 and its 200 day moving average is $260.50. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.60, a current ratio of 1.83 and a quick ratio of 2.02. Vulcan Materials has a one year low of $215.08 and a one year high of $298.31.

Vulcan Materials (NYSE:VMC) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, February 18th. The construction company reported $2.17 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.76 by $0.41. The firm had revenue of $1.85 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $1.81 billion. Vulcan Materials had a return on equity of 12.83% and a net margin of 12.30%. During the same period in the prior year, the business earned $1.46 EPS. Equities research analysts anticipate that Vulcan Materials will post 8.69 EPS for the current year.

Vulcan Materials Increases Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, March 24th. Stockholders of record on Monday, March 10th were given a dividend of $0.49 per share. This represents a $1.96 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.85%. This is a positive change from Vulcan Materials’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.46. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, March 10th. Vulcan Materials’s dividend payout ratio is presently 28.61%.

Vulcan Materials Company Profile

Vulcan Materials Company, together with its subsidiaries, produces and supplies construction aggregates primarily in the United States. It operates through four segments: Aggregates, Asphalt, Concrete, and Calcium. The company provides crushed stones, sand and gravel, sand, and other aggregates; and related products and services that are applied in construction and maintenance of highways, streets, and other public works, as well as in the construction of housing and commercial, industrial, and other nonresidential facilities.